“I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” I Timothy 5.21, 22
When Paul addressed Timothy as a young man (I Timothy 4.12), he wasn’t addressing a teenager. As a matter of fact, it seems that Timothy was probably between 30 and 35 years old. In I Timothy 4.12, Paul tells Timothy to let no one despise his “youth” (the Greek word neotēs). In the ancient Greco-Roman world, this term could describe anyone of military age up to roughly 40 years old, meaning a church leader in his thirties was still considered young by societal standards.
In this immediate context we see Paul explaining some of the ups and downs within the Gospel ministry – specifically, those things associated with leading a local assembly of believers – a church body. From the outside, the ministry seems appealing to many who tend to equate the pastorate with a “cushy” job. After all, they surmise, he only works on Sundays – and possibly Wednesdays if there happens to be a midweek service.
The struggles of a pastor are often more than what seems apparent. Having few with whom he can find consolation; he must keep his eyes focused upon the One he serves – his Savior. Quite often his faith in “friends” is shattered when those “friends” betray him and walk away leaving him with unanswered questions and anxieties. He mourns and prays over the wayward and does his best to help reconcile those who are at odds with each other.
It seems that Timothy needed a bit of emotional and spiritual bracing up because, within his church, there were those who tested more than his authority; they tested his ability to lead. Paul encouraged Timothy to “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” (I Timothy 5.22) In other words, Paul was telling Timothy not to make hasty decisions and thereby entering into the same sins that he was helping his church family to overcome.
Timothy was to keep himself pure and not allow the situations to control him. When his stomach rolled with concern, he was to take a moment and remind himself that, ultimately, he was a servant of the living God. He should take a little medicine for his anxiety and remember that God is still in control.
The life of a pastor is often a lonely life. He knows things that are confidential and could be hurtful if widely known. Every morning, he wakes with the concerns of his church family hard on his heart and he pours out his anxieties to his Confidante – the One who has the answers and who loves him more than words can express.
When you get a moment, pray for this man. Thank God for him and offer him an encouraging word.